Marijuana plants at mining camp lead to arrest

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A transient with a mining camp on the Bear River was arrested after a deputy reportedly found several marijuana plants at his campsite. People had been calling in complaints about transients setting up camps in the area, on the Bear River upstream from Dog Bar, said Nevada County Sheriff’s Capt. Jeff Pettitt, adding there had been concerns about mining activities and fires.

“We set up a COPS (community-oriented policing) project and have been sending deputies out,” he said.

A deputy on foot patrol Tuesday afternoon came across a mining camp and found Jason James Goddard, 42, coming out of a tent. According to Pettitt, Goddard had two 3-foot-tall marijuana plants in containers at his camp but did not have a medical recommendation.

Goddard, who said he had been living on the river since April, reportedly was on probation with search and seizure terms. A search of his tent uncovered Vicodin, for which he did not have a prescription, Pettitt said.

Goddard was arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance, cultivating marijuana, and violating probation. He was being held in county jail in lieu of $10,750 bail.